Yummmmmmmy!
I gave my husband a cookbook for his birthday; now before you get all hot and bothered about that being a lousy present, let me explain. We were channel surfing one evening and came across a cooking show featuring Lidia Bastianich. We were mesmerized. She created what appeared to be masterpieces of Italian cooking with an accessible, ‘sloppy’ style. EG: chop it up, throw it in, cook it a bit, drizzle olive oil, voila! (or the Italian version thereof). We simply had to try.
His birthday happened to basically coincide with my last week working; so here I was with all sorts of free time and new cookbook in the house. It didn’t take long until he threw down the gauntlet; "cook the book", at least one Lidia recipe a week until we’d sampled the book.
I have to say the experience has been a culinary delight. Main dishes sampled to date include a delicately balanced Chicken Cacciatore; Beef Braised in Barolo (OK, I substituted a less expensive quaff, but still the same idea) and last night we cooed over an out-of-this-world Duck Sugo.
I worked on the duck all day; literally. The day involved carving the duck into sk
illet sized pieces and browning them in a pan. Whipping up a pestata. Managing a bubbling mess on the stove for a few hours. Waiting until it cooled. Locating fresh pappardelle in Seattle. Prying the meat from each and every duck bone. Simmering the sauce…. Not to mention setting the table and whipping together Red Onion and Orange Salad (another easy, easy, easy, and oh so delicious Lidia recipe). I have to say, the “ordeal” was rather fun AND our dinner guests were in heaven. One took home a doggy bag for lunch today and all have asked to be on the invite list for future Lidia nights.
Hmmm. Maybe I’d best get back to work before this staying at home gig is rough on the waistline.
His birthday happened to basically coincide with my last week working; so here I was with all sorts of free time and new cookbook in the house. It didn’t take long until he threw down the gauntlet; "cook the book", at least one Lidia recipe a week until we’d sampled the book.
I have to say the experience has been a culinary delight. Main dishes sampled to date include a delicately balanced Chicken Cacciatore; Beef Braised in Barolo (OK, I substituted a less expensive quaff, but still the same idea) and last night we cooed over an out-of-this-world Duck Sugo.
I worked on the duck all day; literally. The day involved carving the duck into sk
illet sized pieces and browning them in a pan. Whipping up a pestata. Managing a bubbling mess on the stove for a few hours. Waiting until it cooled. Locating fresh pappardelle in Seattle. Prying the meat from each and every duck bone. Simmering the sauce…. Not to mention setting the table and whipping together Red Onion and Orange Salad (another easy, easy, easy, and oh so delicious Lidia recipe). I have to say, the “ordeal” was rather fun AND our dinner guests were in heaven. One took home a doggy bag for lunch today and all have asked to be on the invite list for future Lidia nights.Hmmm. Maybe I’d best get back to work before this staying at home gig is rough on the waistline.
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